Feet covered with mosquitoes in Alaska's North Slope area.
Feet covered with mosquitoes in Alaska's North Slope area. Some people really are mosquito magnets—but experts say there are some science-backed measures you can take to keep the pests at bay.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL SARTORE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

  • Sumer is officially in full swing, and it’s time to brave everything that comes with the season—including hungry mosquitoes. 

With their distinctive buzz and itchy bites, mosquitoes are one of the most dreaded downsides of warm weather. Mosquito bites are usually a mere annoyance, but the notorious insects may carry diseases that can be deadly, such as malaria, Zika, or dengue. Bites can also occasionally cause more severe symptoms like inflammation, hives, or nausea. 

To make matters worse, some mosquito species are shifting into new territories as a consequence of climate change and other human activities, making it more important to be aware of your interactions with these insects.

Fortunately, researchers have made great strides in understanding what attracts certain mosquito species to humans, and how to best repel them. Here are practical tips for avoiding mosquito bites, whether you are at home or on the road. 

Know your enemy

To limit mosquito bites, it’s worth understanding a little about this blood-sucking insect and why some of them seek out humans in the first place.  

“There are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes but only a few are a significant problem to humans,” writes Dina Fonseca, a professor and molecular ecologist at Rutgers University who studies ticks and mosquitoes, in an email. “Different mosquito species have different preferences for groups of species such as mammals, reptiles, birds.” Some even feed on the blood in leeches, she adds.

(You really are a mosquito magnet. Here's why.)

Mosquitoes that evolved to feed on humans can sense our body heat and the carbon dioxide we exhale, and select preferred hosts based on body odor. If you’re one of those people that mosquitoes always seem to target, you’re not crazy—some humans just smell better to mosquitoes than others. It’s worth taking extra precautions if you think you have the special distinction of being a mosquito’s favorite dish.

Use the right repellents

As far as skin repellents go, nothing beats products containing a chemical called DEET (N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET repels a host of insects including mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and leeches.

“DEET is still the gold standard because it works by covering most of the odor receptors, making the mosquito ‘odor blind’—plus the effects last,” says Fonseca. The duration of protection depends on DEET concentration in the repellent; that information will be on the product’s label.  

DEET is safe for use on children and adults—as long as it’s applied according to the product’s instructions. Never inhale or swallow products with DEET, as the chemical can be deadly if ingested. In rare cases, people have experienced skin reactions, including rashes or itchiness, after using products with DEET. If you have a reaction, you should “discontinue use of the product, wash treated skin, and call your local poison control center or physician for help,” according to guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Other common repellents, like lemon eucalyptus oil or citronella, can also be effective. Every repellent will interact with your body odor differently, though, so it’s worth experimenting a bit with products to find the one that works best for you.